Coalition hosting mental health, substance use speaker

     The Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition is sponsoring “A Community Talk Event and Resource Fair on Mental Health and Substance Use” at the Monticello High School on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 5 to 7:30 p.m. during parent-teacher conferences. This event is open to everyone, and especially good for parents, grandparents, and high school students.

   There will be a resource fair in the cafeteria from 5 to 6 p.m. with many mental health-related organizations sharing about their services. At that same time the Coalition is providing a free dinner with loose meat sandwiches, chips, and bars.

   The program will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium with Jim Ott and local high school students speaking. Ott and the students will then be leading those in attendance in a community conversation around what we can all do to improve mental health and reduce substance use so that youth and young adults can thrive, rather than suffer the consequences of these often preventable and treatable issues.

   Ott has been serving schools, families and students as a school psychologist for the past 40 years. He worked with Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency serving schools in Jackson County until 2017 and has been working independently with several schools since then. Ott is a national consultant for “Aha! Process” and does trainings for school districts and other community groups related to mental health and neurological development of students and strategies to build resilience. Ott lives in Dubuque with his wife, Teresa. They have four adult children.

   The Coalition is also having a drawing for two $500 scholarships for Jones County high school students in attendance.

   For more information, contact Jennifer Husmann at 319-462-4327 ex. 661.